SummaryThere is currently no high-throughput method to efficiently identify and optimize nanoparticle delivery of therapeutic relevant cargo such as drugs or mRNA before progression through costly clinical development. This is in stark contrast to the situation for small molecules and antibodies, where screening technologies such as high-throughput small molecule screening and phage display in the last decades have proven very successful to aid and drive drug discovery and development.
Our project ‘CodeSphere’ seeks to develop a method for DNA-tagging of nanoparticles to efficiently optimize nanoparticles on several parameters in parallel from libraries which - in time - will be at least 1.000-10.000 larger than the capability of current state-of-the-art screening methods. The project will initially work towards the generation of a library of > 1.000 different T cell targeted liposomal nanoparticles containing mRNA encoding anti-cancer proteins.
This library of DNA-tagged nanoparticles will be screened in “one-pot” in human blood to identify nanoparticles with optimal characteristics to efficiently deliver mRNA to specific cell populations.
Through such a technology, one could gain knowledge on which particle design is most optimal including stability in blood, ‘stealth’ evasion of the immune system, optimal systemic circulation time, efficiency in reaching the target tissue (e.g. cancer lesion) and efficiency in delivering the drug or other cargo. The technology can be applied to whole blood preparations, primary cells, cell lines, and even as in vivo screening in whole organisms.

There is currently no high-throughput method to efficiently identify and optimize nanoparticle delivery of therapeutic relevant cargo such as drugs or mRNA before progression through costly clinical development. This is in stark contrast to the situation for small molecules and antibodies, where screening technologies such as high-throughput small molecule screening and phage display in the last decades have proven very successful to aid and drive drug discovery and development.
Our project ‘CodeSphere’ seeks to develop a method for DNA-tagging of nanoparticles to efficiently optimize nanoparticles on several parameters in parallel from libraries which - in time - will be at least 1.000-10.000 larger than the capability of current state-of-the-art screening methods. The project will initially work towards the generation of a library of > 1.000 different T cell targeted liposomal nanoparticles containing mRNA encoding anti-cancer proteins.
This library of DNA-tagged nanoparticles will be screened in “one-pot” in human blood to identify nanoparticles with optimal characteristics to efficiently deliver mRNA to specific cell populations.
Through such a technology, one could gain knowledge on which particle design is most optimal including stability in blood, ‘stealth’ evasion of the immune system, optimal systemic circulation time, efficiency in reaching the target tissue (e.g. cancer lesion) and efficiency in delivering the drug or other cargo. The technology can be applied to whole blood preparations, primary cells, cell lines, and even as in vivo screening in whole organisms.

SummaryAssembly of combinatorial genetic libraries for identification of biomolecules with novel or improved properties requires high fidelity and efficiency to produce the greatest spectrum of genetically diverse clones. We have been developing homologous recombination (HR) as a platform for the production of combinatorial genetic libraries for affinity maturation and diversification of human therapeutic antibodies. Therapeutic antibodies have a great clinical potential in various therapeutic settings including the treatment of a number of oncology, autoimmune and infectious diseases, organ transplantation, and others. In brief, we describe a method, where CDR-encoding DNA oligos and a gapped vector containing the heavy and light chain genes are cotransformed into budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for in vivo assembly by HR. Importantly, the affinity of resulting antibody clones in the generated library can be directly assayed by yeast surface display without subcloning and retransformation. Furthermore, mating two haploid yeast strain libraries each encoding a variation of heavy chain or light chain genes enables fast screening of the heavy/light chain combinations displayed by the resulting diploids. Finally, this method can be generalized to generate combinatorial genetic libraries for other applications.

Assembly of combinatorial genetic libraries for identification of biomolecules with novel or improved properties requires high fidelity and efficiency to produce the greatest spectrum of genetically diverse clones. We have been developing homologous recombination (HR) as a platform for the production of combinatorial genetic libraries for affinity maturation and diversification of human therapeutic antibodies. Therapeutic antibodies have a great clinical potential in various therapeutic settings including the treatment of a number of oncology, autoimmune and infectious diseases, organ transplantation, and others. In brief, we describe a method, where CDR-encoding DNA oligos and a gapped vector containing the heavy and light chain genes are cotransformed into budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for in vivo assembly by HR. Importantly, the affinity of resulting antibody clones in the generated library can be directly assayed by yeast surface display without subcloning and retransformation. Furthermore, mating two haploid yeast strain libraries each encoding a variation of heavy chain or light chain genes enables fast screening of the heavy/light chain combinations displayed by the resulting diploids. Finally, this method can be generalized to generate combinatorial genetic libraries for other applications.

Max ERC Funding

150 000 €

Duration

Start date: 2014-05-01, End date: 2015-04-30

Project acronymCTC-MAL

ProjectIsolation of rare circulating tumor cells

Researcher (PI)Ali El-Salanti

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), ERC-2017-PoC

SummaryIn 2013 I was awarded an ERC consolidator grant to pursue a novel cancer targeting concept using a recombinant malaria protein. As an ERC grantee I verified the malaria protein (rVAR2) binds to this distinct cancer expressed molecule (CSA) in hundreds of cancer cell lines and thousands of tissue biopsies. Our research demonstrate a pivotal role of CSA in cancer cell migration and thus in the formation of metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells escaping the primary tumor with the capacity to settle and form a metastasis in distant organs. Isolation of CTC is thus a very attractive non-invasive measure of the stage of a given cancer and provides the opportunity to do direct phenotypic analyses. However CTCs are in most cases very rare (10 cells pr 1ml blood) and does not uniformly distinguish themselves from normal blood cells. Our preliminary data show that rVAR2 very effectively can be used to isolate CTCs from diverse types of cancer with unprecedented specificity and sensitivity. Such a tool could have wide impact for cancer patients because it could sharpen diagnosis, increase prognostic ability, monitor drug efficacy and facilitate molecular characterization of individual cancers with implications for personalized medicine and basic cancer research. The aim of the ERC PoC project is to A) prepare for establishment of a separate company with a strategic product plan and B) further develop and validate the methodology enabling diagnosis, prognosis and guide treatment.

In 2013 I was awarded an ERC consolidator grant to pursue a novel cancer targeting concept using a recombinant malaria protein. As an ERC grantee I verified the malaria protein (rVAR2) binds to this distinct cancer expressed molecule (CSA) in hundreds of cancer cell lines and thousands of tissue biopsies. Our research demonstrate a pivotal role of CSA in cancer cell migration and thus in the formation of metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells escaping the primary tumor with the capacity to settle and form a metastasis in distant organs. Isolation of CTC is thus a very attractive non-invasive measure of the stage of a given cancer and provides the opportunity to do direct phenotypic analyses. However CTCs are in most cases very rare (10 cells pr 1ml blood) and does not uniformly distinguish themselves from normal blood cells. Our preliminary data show that rVAR2 very effectively can be used to isolate CTCs from diverse types of cancer with unprecedented specificity and sensitivity. Such a tool could have wide impact for cancer patients because it could sharpen diagnosis, increase prognostic ability, monitor drug efficacy and facilitate molecular characterization of individual cancers with implications for personalized medicine and basic cancer research. The aim of the ERC PoC project is to A) prepare for establishment of a separate company with a strategic product plan and B) further develop and validate the methodology enabling diagnosis, prognosis and guide treatment.

Max ERC Funding

149 375 €

Duration

Start date: 2018-02-01, End date: 2019-01-31

Project acronymEMOT

ProjectElectromagnetic to Optics Transducer

Researcher (PI)Eugene Simon Polzik

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), ERC-2017-PoC

SummaryModern communication and sensing is done with radio- and microwaves on the one hand, and with optical fiber links, on the other. Radio- and microwaves are widely used in commercial and personal communication, as well as in sensing in, for example, medical diagnostics. Optical communication dominates long distance, point-to-point connections, such as internet. This action aims at the development of a miniature device for efficient conversion between these technological platforms. Within the AdG INTERFACE we have developed a novel principle for the opto-electromechnical transducer (Nature, 2014) and filed a US patent. We have further made progress in developing an integrated version of the transducer with enhanced sensitivity. Preliminary market analysis has shown high potential of our device in diverse areas, such as industrial internet of things, airborne intracommunication systems, scientific sensors, measurement instrumentation, radio astronomy, and nuclear magnetic spectroscopy. This action will include the first tests of the device in a flagship application relevant to NMR spectroscopy—a real life MRI scanner—and an extensive effort towards producing a packaged, fiber-coupled, ultralow-noise transducer ready for field demonstrations.

Modern communication and sensing is done with radio- and microwaves on the one hand, and with optical fiber links, on the other. Radio- and microwaves are widely used in commercial and personal communication, as well as in sensing in, for example, medical diagnostics. Optical communication dominates long distance, point-to-point connections, such as internet. This action aims at the development of a miniature device for efficient conversion between these technological platforms. Within the AdG INTERFACE we have developed a novel principle for the opto-electromechnical transducer (Nature, 2014) and filed a US patent. We have further made progress in developing an integrated version of the transducer with enhanced sensitivity. Preliminary market analysis has shown high potential of our device in diverse areas, such as industrial internet of things, airborne intracommunication systems, scientific sensors, measurement instrumentation, radio astronomy, and nuclear magnetic spectroscopy. This action will include the first tests of the device in a flagship application relevant to NMR spectroscopy—a real life MRI scanner—and an extensive effort towards producing a packaged, fiber-coupled, ultralow-noise transducer ready for field demonstrations.

Max ERC Funding

149 956 €

Duration

Start date: 2018-03-01, End date: 2019-08-31

Project acronymFIPS

ProjectFilter Integrated single-Photon Sources

Researcher (PI)Peter Lodahl

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), ERC-2017-PoC

SummaryThe FIPS proof-of-concept project aims at building a prototype of an ultra-small optical filter which can be integrated into a semiconductor chip. Spectral filtering is very important for both classical and quantum photonic technology. It has applications in many fields of engineering and science such as telecommunications and spectroscopy. Conventional methods to filter light, such as prisms and gratings, require a very large dispersion length (centimeters to meters) to achieve high wavelength resolution. Therefore, reducing the size of spectrometers to enable applications in the wearable and disposable market, requires a different technological approach to light filtering.
The filter that we will develop within FIPS is based on sub-wavelength nano-cavities which provide sub-nm wavelength resolutions in the near infrared and can be integrated in compact photonic circuits. Additionally, we will integrate our filters with micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to actively tune our filters over a broad wavelength range. This approach provides a novel solution that could be further combined with detectors for spectroscopy applications.
The goal of the project is to fabricate an integrated filter in gallium arsenide membranes using state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques and characterize it in our optical labs by performing spectral analysis of an input signal. Moreover, together with industry collaborators, we will explore the potential commercial applications of our technology towards new products that could compete in performance and specification with most of the existing integrated optical filters, in particular in the field of optical interrogation.

The FIPS proof-of-concept project aims at building a prototype of an ultra-small optical filter which can be integrated into a semiconductor chip. Spectral filtering is very important for both classical and quantum photonic technology. It has applications in many fields of engineering and science such as telecommunications and spectroscopy. Conventional methods to filter light, such as prisms and gratings, require a very large dispersion length (centimeters to meters) to achieve high wavelength resolution. Therefore, reducing the size of spectrometers to enable applications in the wearable and disposable market, requires a different technological approach to light filtering.
The filter that we will develop within FIPS is based on sub-wavelength nano-cavities which provide sub-nm wavelength resolutions in the near infrared and can be integrated in compact photonic circuits. Additionally, we will integrate our filters with micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to actively tune our filters over a broad wavelength range. This approach provides a novel solution that could be further combined with detectors for spectroscopy applications.
The goal of the project is to fabricate an integrated filter in gallium arsenide membranes using state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques and characterize it in our optical labs by performing spectral analysis of an input signal. Moreover, together with industry collaborators, we will explore the potential commercial applications of our technology towards new products that could compete in performance and specification with most of the existing integrated optical filters, in particular in the field of optical interrogation.

Max ERC Funding

150 000 €

Duration

Start date: 2018-03-01, End date: 2019-08-31

Project acronymGET-UP BAT

ProjectGPCR Exploitation To Unlock the Power of Brown/Beige Adipose Tissue

Researcher (PI)Zachary Philip Gerhart-Hines

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), ERC-2017-PoC

SummaryHundreds of millions of people suffer from obesity and diabetes worldwide. These diseases diminish both life quality and expectancy and new treatment strategies are desperately needed. One possible approach is to target the calorie-burning and glucose-consuming functions of brown and beige adipose tissue (B/BAT). Previous attempts to harness the therapeutic potential of B/BAT have largely focused on the β-adrenergic class of G protein-coupled receptors (GCPRs). Unfortunately, these methods are hindered by adverse cardiovascular side effects linked to adrenergic activation. Therefore, uncovering non-adrenergic alternatives to exploit B/BAT for treating metabolic disease holds the potential for enormous societal and economic benefit.
Here, we propose the activation of one such non-adrenergic GPCR on B/BAT as a means to treat obesity and diabetes. We identified this GPCR from a screen of B/BAT receptors performed in my ERC Starting Grant project, aCROBAT. We found that treating brown adipose cells with the peptide ligand for this GPCR increased oxygen consumption. We recognized the therapeutic potential after observing that ligand administration in vivo lowered bodyweight and improved insulin sensitivity in obese mice. However, the resources required to develop this discovery into a tangible innovation extend beyond the scope of aCROBAT.
Consequently, I’m applying for an ERC PoC grant for critical support to take the initial steps to commercial application. Specifically, we seek to strengthen our IP position by developing patentable, longer-lived analogues of the ligand. Importantly, we will test these lead compounds head-to-head and in combination with current treatment options. We have assembled a team of experts to address key aspects from peptide design and pharmacology to IPR strategy and commercial development. Combined with our validated in vitro and in vivo testing platforms, we are ideally poised to maximize innovation potential.

Hundreds of millions of people suffer from obesity and diabetes worldwide. These diseases diminish both life quality and expectancy and new treatment strategies are desperately needed. One possible approach is to target the calorie-burning and glucose-consuming functions of brown and beige adipose tissue (B/BAT). Previous attempts to harness the therapeutic potential of B/BAT have largely focused on the β-adrenergic class of G protein-coupled receptors (GCPRs). Unfortunately, these methods are hindered by adverse cardiovascular side effects linked to adrenergic activation. Therefore, uncovering non-adrenergic alternatives to exploit B/BAT for treating metabolic disease holds the potential for enormous societal and economic benefit.
Here, we propose the activation of one such non-adrenergic GPCR on B/BAT as a means to treat obesity and diabetes. We identified this GPCR from a screen of B/BAT receptors performed in my ERC Starting Grant project, aCROBAT. We found that treating brown adipose cells with the peptide ligand for this GPCR increased oxygen consumption. We recognized the therapeutic potential after observing that ligand administration in vivo lowered bodyweight and improved insulin sensitivity in obese mice. However, the resources required to develop this discovery into a tangible innovation extend beyond the scope of aCROBAT.
Consequently, I’m applying for an ERC PoC grant for critical support to take the initial steps to commercial application. Specifically, we seek to strengthen our IP position by developing patentable, longer-lived analogues of the ligand. Importantly, we will test these lead compounds head-to-head and in combination with current treatment options. We have assembled a team of experts to address key aspects from peptide design and pharmacology to IPR strategy and commercial development. Combined with our validated in vitro and in vivo testing platforms, we are ideally poised to maximize innovation potential.

Summary"Macrophages play a key role in inflammatory diseases. One of the goals of the TROJA ERC program has been to explore drug targeting via the haemoglobin scavenger receptor CD163, which has a high and exclusive expression in macrophages. We have now developed new biodegradable anti-CD163 antibody-drug conjugates by linking drugs directly to anti-CD163 antibody and by encapsulating drugs in liposomes with anti-CD163 antibodies linked to the surface. The CD163-targeting technology has been proven in in vitro and in vivo models. A very promising line of results show that we by use of this technology in a rat inflammation model can show a fifty-fold increase in the potency of synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone). At the same time we observe virtually no systemic effects, which are known to cause the serious glucocorticoids side effects such as bone mobilization, muscle mass loss, infections and metabolic alterations. We now want to investigate the effect of CD163-targeted glucocorticoid in a major inflammatory liver disease. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common, often “silent” disease but anyway a major treat against general health. A fatty liver is an important pathogenic factor in line with the fact that the steady increase in incidence of the disease correlates with changes in life style and obesity. The full-blown NASH with macrophage-driven inflammation and damage of liver tissue is a serious a condition with the risk of lethal liver cirrhosis. There is no current medical treatment of the condition The present approach of targeting the liver macrophages with 'safe' glucocorticoid may effectively dampen the acute inflammation and reduce mortality. The TROJA team expects to have PoC in the NASH indication within 12 month whereafter the project can be taken over by an industrial partner for completion of preclinical validation to obtain approval for clinical testing."

"Macrophages play a key role in inflammatory diseases. One of the goals of the TROJA ERC program has been to explore drug targeting via the haemoglobin scavenger receptor CD163, which has a high and exclusive expression in macrophages. We have now developed new biodegradable anti-CD163 antibody-drug conjugates by linking drugs directly to anti-CD163 antibody and by encapsulating drugs in liposomes with anti-CD163 antibodies linked to the surface. The CD163-targeting technology has been proven in in vitro and in vivo models. A very promising line of results show that we by use of this technology in a rat inflammation model can show a fifty-fold increase in the potency of synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone). At the same time we observe virtually no systemic effects, which are known to cause the serious glucocorticoids side effects such as bone mobilization, muscle mass loss, infections and metabolic alterations. We now want to investigate the effect of CD163-targeted glucocorticoid in a major inflammatory liver disease. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common, often “silent” disease but anyway a major treat against general health. A fatty liver is an important pathogenic factor in line with the fact that the steady increase in incidence of the disease correlates with changes in life style and obesity. The full-blown NASH with macrophage-driven inflammation and damage of liver tissue is a serious a condition with the risk of lethal liver cirrhosis. There is no current medical treatment of the condition The present approach of targeting the liver macrophages with 'safe' glucocorticoid may effectively dampen the acute inflammation and reduce mortality. The TROJA team expects to have PoC in the NASH indication within 12 month whereafter the project can be taken over by an industrial partner for completion of preclinical validation to obtain approval for clinical testing."

Max ERC Funding

149 510 €

Duration

Start date: 2012-12-01, End date: 2013-11-30

Project acronymQUMAG

ProjectQUANTUM OPTICAL MAGNETOMETER FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Researcher (PI)Eugene Simon Polzik

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), PC1, ERC-2015-PoC

SummarySensitive detection of weak magnetic fields produced by human nerves, eyes and brain has a large potential as a diagnostic tool for bio- and medical applications. However, measurements of magnetic fields have not yet been developed into a ubiquitous tool for medical diagnostics, one of the reasons being that commercially available magnetometers with high enough sensitivity are based on expensive superconducting magnetometers (SQUIDs) which require cryogenic cooling. Within the INTERFACE project we have developed a novel optical magnetometer with sensitivity rivaling SQUIDs but operating at room or human body temperature. This breakthrough has been achieved by the design based on optimizing quantum noise of the light-atoms interaction. First results on detection of action potential magnetic signals from a nerve provide an example of quantum technology in service of real world applications. Within the QUMAG project we shall explore the potential of the quantum magnetometer in ophthalmology. In collaboration with medical researchers and leading ophthalmologists we shall develop a magnetoretinograph for eye diagnostics. The small fiber-connected chip which can be placed in the close proximity to the eye and provide noninvasive, inexpensive, ultrasensitive diagnostics will find a market in curing such diseases as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and inborn blindness.

Sensitive detection of weak magnetic fields produced by human nerves, eyes and brain has a large potential as a diagnostic tool for bio- and medical applications. However, measurements of magnetic fields have not yet been developed into a ubiquitous tool for medical diagnostics, one of the reasons being that commercially available magnetometers with high enough sensitivity are based on expensive superconducting magnetometers (SQUIDs) which require cryogenic cooling. Within the INTERFACE project we have developed a novel optical magnetometer with sensitivity rivaling SQUIDs but operating at room or human body temperature. This breakthrough has been achieved by the design based on optimizing quantum noise of the light-atoms interaction. First results on detection of action potential magnetic signals from a nerve provide an example of quantum technology in service of real world applications. Within the QUMAG project we shall explore the potential of the quantum magnetometer in ophthalmology. In collaboration with medical researchers and leading ophthalmologists we shall develop a magnetoretinograph for eye diagnostics. The small fiber-connected chip which can be placed in the close proximity to the eye and provide noninvasive, inexpensive, ultrasensitive diagnostics will find a market in curing such diseases as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and inborn blindness.

Max ERC Funding

149 921 €

Duration

Start date: 2016-03-01, End date: 2017-08-31

Project acronymROMANS

ProjectRotating Opto-Magnetic Analysis System

Researcher (PI)Anja BOISEN

Host Institution (HI)DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), PC1, ERC-2013-PoC

SummaryThe purpose of this PoC project is to develop a prototype of portable, highly sensitive and low cost technology for point-of care detection of inflammatory diseases biomarkers. At DTU Nanotech we have developed a completely new technology which holds a great potential to become, in a short period, an extremely useful tool for small medical facilities, family doctors, and chronically ill patients. The core readout element is represented, as in the HERMES project, by an optical pickup head, as used in CD, DVD-ROM or BLU-RAY, which embeds in a single optical path both a laser source and a high-resolution photodetector. By measuring how the light is scattered by magnetic nano-particles actuated by an external AC field we have demonstrated that it is possible to detect low concentration of analytes present in the sample. The key feature of our invention is that blood preconcentration and analyte readout are integrated into the same magnetic-based operations, leading to a compact, low-cost and user-friendly device. Doctors will benefit from our technology which allows performing multiple analyses without relying on centralized laboratories. A fast technology capable to detect multiple parameters would for example allow patient screening at the family doctors’ offices, or would allow chronic diseases patients to be monitored without the need of regularly going to the hospital. The scope of the project is both to provide a benchmarked prototype and to identify the best approach to commercialize the invention. The PoC grant will provide the instruments for understanding the low-cost point-of-care market more deeply, in order to start addressing as soon as possible the challenges of breaking through a complex market such as human diagnostics. Thanks to the intrinsic low-cost of the machine components, several cycles of production/testing/evaluation are expected to be performed, facilitating a constant and fast improvement of our platform development and testing.

The purpose of this PoC project is to develop a prototype of portable, highly sensitive and low cost technology for point-of care detection of inflammatory diseases biomarkers. At DTU Nanotech we have developed a completely new technology which holds a great potential to become, in a short period, an extremely useful tool for small medical facilities, family doctors, and chronically ill patients. The core readout element is represented, as in the HERMES project, by an optical pickup head, as used in CD, DVD-ROM or BLU-RAY, which embeds in a single optical path both a laser source and a high-resolution photodetector. By measuring how the light is scattered by magnetic nano-particles actuated by an external AC field we have demonstrated that it is possible to detect low concentration of analytes present in the sample. The key feature of our invention is that blood preconcentration and analyte readout are integrated into the same magnetic-based operations, leading to a compact, low-cost and user-friendly device. Doctors will benefit from our technology which allows performing multiple analyses without relying on centralized laboratories. A fast technology capable to detect multiple parameters would for example allow patient screening at the family doctors’ offices, or would allow chronic diseases patients to be monitored without the need of regularly going to the hospital. The scope of the project is both to provide a benchmarked prototype and to identify the best approach to commercialize the invention. The PoC grant will provide the instruments for understanding the low-cost point-of-care market more deeply, in order to start addressing as soon as possible the challenges of breaking through a complex market such as human diagnostics. Thanks to the intrinsic low-cost of the machine components, several cycles of production/testing/evaluation are expected to be performed, facilitating a constant and fast improvement of our platform development and testing.

Max ERC Funding

149 833 €

Duration

Start date: 2014-01-01, End date: 2015-03-31

Project acronymSUNLIGHTING

ProjectHarvesting the Sun

Researcher (PI)Birger Lindberg Møller

Host Institution (HI)KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET

Call DetailsProof of Concept (PoC), ERC-2015-PoC, ERC-2015-PoC

SummaryBiological production of high-value compounds such as medicines, flavors, fragrances and food ingredients, is predicted to constitute 50% of the World market by 2025 thus representing a commercial hotspot. A competitive edge for European industry within this domain is therefore important. Today, 40% of prescribed medicinal drugs originate or are derived from rare or difficult to cultivate medicinal plants which typically contain the compounds in very low amounts and in complex mixtures. We have demonstrated that by using synthetic biology we can build a solar powered platform for production of key high-value compounds within the diterpenoid class in green cells (cyanobacteria/moss/algae). The diterpenoids are excreted into the growth medium offering easy isolation. This provides a highly profitable and attainable opportunity to produce a large number of medicinal compounds at highly reduced costs. The production platform is easily adaptable to make structural analogs and entirely new structures. Combinatorial libraries can be developed to enable screening for desired new functionalities. The envisioned production platform includes the full chain from pathway discovery, host optimization, scale-up, extraction and final product isolation and offers entry points for industrial development and exit points for adaptation to existing pipelines. Based on the advances made within the ERC Advanced Grant the focus of this PoC is to optimize the scientific breakthroughs’ market adaptation, specifically focused on the compounds Forskolin and Ingenol-3-angelate as proof-of-concept of the market value of the production platform. The envisioned full-chain focus offers potent financial opportunities and a new vision for biobased production across Europe in a re-invigorated sustainable greenhouse industry offering new job opportunities in full harmony with the envisioned Europe2020 and Horizon2020 goals.

Biological production of high-value compounds such as medicines, flavors, fragrances and food ingredients, is predicted to constitute 50% of the World market by 2025 thus representing a commercial hotspot. A competitive edge for European industry within this domain is therefore important. Today, 40% of prescribed medicinal drugs originate or are derived from rare or difficult to cultivate medicinal plants which typically contain the compounds in very low amounts and in complex mixtures. We have demonstrated that by using synthetic biology we can build a solar powered platform for production of key high-value compounds within the diterpenoid class in green cells (cyanobacteria/moss/algae). The diterpenoids are excreted into the growth medium offering easy isolation. This provides a highly profitable and attainable opportunity to produce a large number of medicinal compounds at highly reduced costs. The production platform is easily adaptable to make structural analogs and entirely new structures. Combinatorial libraries can be developed to enable screening for desired new functionalities. The envisioned production platform includes the full chain from pathway discovery, host optimization, scale-up, extraction and final product isolation and offers entry points for industrial development and exit points for adaptation to existing pipelines. Based on the advances made within the ERC Advanced Grant the focus of this PoC is to optimize the scientific breakthroughs’ market adaptation, specifically focused on the compounds Forskolin and Ingenol-3-angelate as proof-of-concept of the market value of the production platform. The envisioned full-chain focus offers potent financial opportunities and a new vision for biobased production across Europe in a re-invigorated sustainable greenhouse industry offering new job opportunities in full harmony with the envisioned Europe2020 and Horizon2020 goals.